Die for molding pulp articles



July 1, 1952 w. J. DE REAMER DIE FOR MOLDING PULP ARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. 14, 1945 vin IIA

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w@ N mm1 July l, 1952 w. J. DE REAMER DIE FOR MOL DING PULP ARTICLES Filed Dec. 14l 1945 Patented July 1, 1952 `DIE FOR PULP ARTICLES `William J. Delbeamer, Crown Point, Ind., as-

signor to Mapes Consolidated Manufacturing Company, Griith, Ind., a corporation of Dela- Ware Application December 14, 1945, Serial No. 635,076

' (c1. :az- 54) 11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in dies for molding pulp articles and itconsists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

Dies of this kind usually include a rigid foraminous die body the molding face of which may have depressions in and projections thereon and this face is covered by a foraminous facing sheet contoured to match and t upon the molding face of the die body. The facing sheet is generally made from a piece offrelatively fine mesh brass or copper screen. In some instances; where the depressions in andprojectionson the molding face are shallow in depth and spaced widely apart, it

is practical to make the facing sheet of a single piece of such mesh and distort or stretch `certain areas thereof to fit the depressions and Aprojections oi the die body.

However, in many 'instances it is desired to make molded pulp articles requiring the use of a die having closely adjacent relativelydeep depressions and highproje'ctions. In suchdies it is not practical to` form a `single piece lof mesh to the contour of the molding face of the die body because this would require a distortion or stretching of the mesh beyondV its elastic limit with the result that the facing sheet is cracked or broken and unt for use `foriits intended purpose. i

The present invention is more particularly coneerned with a die for molding pulp articles that include a sheet-like body'with closely arranged relatively deep depressions andhigh'projections.

One of the objects of the invention istoprovide a simple and inexpensive pulp molding die,

the facing sheet of which includes foraminous;

'so distorting parts of the facing sheet 4itself as to rupture the same.

A furthern object of the invention is to provide 1 in a die for thus purpose; hollow projections on, but separate from, the facing "sheet thereof and which are internally supported in a mannerpermitting free passagefwater therethrough.`

The above mentioned-objectsof the invention, along with others, together with the severaladvantages thereofwill more fully appear as the specication proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view .in elevation of the working face of a die for molding'pulp articles embodying the perferred form of the invention, with` a portion of the foraminous facing sheet and its foraminous backing sheet shown` as broken `away for illustrative purposes. f

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional View through thebody of the die as taken on the line 2-2 and on the scale of Fig.` 1.

Fig. 3 isa detail transverse vertical sectional view through a part 0f the die as taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l and on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional view through a part of the die as taken on the line 4-4 and on the scale of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view showing a modification of a detachably mountedhol- 10W projectionforming part for the die and which Will be described in more detail later.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a supporting post embodied in the structure `appearing in Figs. 3 and 4. i

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a corner fragment of the molded pulp article or pack produced by the die and on the scale of Fig. l.

Figs. 8, 9 and 'l0 are detail views through parts of the article appearing in Fig. 7 as taken on the lines 8 8, 9--9 and Ill- IU respectively of said Fig. 7 and on the scale of Fig. 3.

In general when the die is to be used in molding pulp articles of the kind above mentioned. it will include a rigid but foraminous die body. The Working face of said body is formed with a series of closelyadjacent pocket like depressions or cavities. The other face is formed to receive a closure plate in a manner dening a hollow space for connection with the suction side of the pulp molding machine of which the die or dies form a part.

The working face of the die is cove-red with a foraminous facing sheet preferably made of a relatively fine mesh brass or copper wire screen and parts or areas thereof are formed to t the depressions or cavities in the die body. When desired a foraminous sheet of coarser wire mesh may be disposed between the Working face of the die body and the facing sheet to back up or support the facing sheet against the suction pressure imposed upon it in use. i v

The depressions or cavities mentioned which form the commodity receiving pockets in the molded pulp article produced by the die are closely adjacent each other and this leaves only a minimum amount of space or area between them. The reason therefor is to provide `as many pockets as possible in an article of limited area and` thus conserve shipping spacefor the comintermediate or between the depressions in the facing sheet from which to make integral hollow parts projecting from the other side of the sheet and of such size or height as to be of any pracj tical use. In many instances it is desired that certain side surface portions of these projections form continuations of side surface portions of the depressions and the intermediate areas mentioned are too small in size to permitI drawing, stretching or distorting the same to produce said projections. Y

Therefore, the foraminous projections are made of separate pieces of the same kind of wire screen, formed to desired shape, as that from which the facing sheet is made. These separately formed pieces are each mounted on an internal supporting element shaped to the areas mentioned and marginal portions of the screen are turned under the base of the element before the resulting asscribed as for making a molded pulp article such .as illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 9 andi() of the drawings and which includes a generally rectangular body sheetJ I5 with a plurality of relatively closely Y adjacent article receiving pockets I6 therein arranged in longitudinally and transversely extending, intermediate and alternate rows. On those areas of the body sheet between the pockets IE-I 5 in the rows thereofare upstanding hollow projections or posts Ile-Il, the flat tops I8 of Vwhich Vare elongated transversely of the body sheet. r

In Figs. 8, 9 and l0 are illustrated, in full size scale, detail sectional Views through the finished molded pulp article which is made of stock about "itz of an inch thick. The'pockets I5 are about 3A of an `inch deep and about 21/2 inches in diarneter.V TheseV pockets are-spaced on centers about 3% inches apart in the longitudinal rows and are spaced on centers about 21%4 inches apart inthe transverse rows. that the pockets are arranged as close together as possible to obtain as many pockets in an article of a given size which in the present instance would approximate one about 2O inches long and 12%t inches wide. With this arrangeme-nt described the article contains 28 pockets.

It is to be noted that side portions I'Ia. and end portions .Il'b of said projections I'I, which are about lgof an inch high, form continuations of parts of the sides of the pockets I6. Corners I'Ic of three side shape extend upwardly and inwardly from parts I5a of the body sheet between the pockets to meettlie corners of the fiat tops I8 of said projections. The parts I5a of the body I5 between adjacent pockets form hollow spaced apart ribs that run diagonally of the body and materially assist in rigidifying the article as awhole.

An article of this kind is illustrated and described in the Friday Patent #2,351,754 of June 20, 1944, and is primarily used as a pack for choice fruits and vegetables.

Referring now in detail to the construction of the dieY by means of which the molded pulp article before described'is made and particularly to It is thus obvious Fig. 1, the improved die includes therein a rectangularly shaped die body 2G. Y preferably made of cast metal of such thickness as to be quite rigid. The side and end margins of the body are made as a continuous fiange 2I to which one side of a plate 22; of the area of said body, is fixed to form with the body a suction chamber 23 on that side of the body opposite its working face 2d. Only a fragment of the plate 22 appears in Fig. 2.

This working face is at and even and in that area ofthe body within the flange 2l said face is provided with a plurality of rows of longiv tudinally and transversely extending alternate and intermediate depressions or cavities 25-25. Each depression has the shape of a part of the sphere and is circular in plan.

The depressions 25 in the longitudinal rows are spaced closer together than the depressions in the transverse rows so as to leave spaces or areas 21 of a somewhat hour glass shape between said depressions as best appears in Fig. 1. Considered in planes diagonally of the body and IV passing through the axes of adjacent depressions, marginal parts of adjacent depressions are so closely spaced as to constitute relatively narrow areas 28 that connect the areas 2'I-2'I together. Y

The body 20 is so made that water may pass therethrough and one convenient Way in which to do this is to provide longitudinal slits 25-26 therein and which best appear in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

That part or area of the Working face of the body, within the confines or outline of the flange' 2| is covered by a foraminous facing sheet 29 (see Fig. l) preferably of a relativelyiine brass or copper wire of about 65 mesh. This facingV sheet includes a fiat body portion 30 and certain areas thereof are formed with depressions 3I-3I that t within the depressions 25 in the body, other portions of the body being nat and conforming to and covering the flat portions 21 and 28 respectively of the working face 24 of the die body.

Disposed between said working face of the die body and thesfacing sheet 29 is a foraminous backing and bracing sheet `32 (see Figs. 1 and 3) of brass or wire copper mesh and which is coarser or heavier than that of the facing sheet.

The superposed margins of the facing sheet 30 and its backing sheet 32 are'secured to thedie body by strips 33-33 preferably made of brass or copper. Screws 34 pass through these strips as well as through the margins of the facing and backing sheets to have a threaded engagement in the die body itself.

When it is desired to provide finger recesses |51) in certain of the margins of the body III of the article as appears in Fig. '-7, corresponding areas in the facing sheets and backing sheet are blocked out by the members 33a (see right hand end of Fig. 1) secured in place by screwssimilar to the screws 34. Y

Centrally in each area 21 of the die body a recess 35 is provided that opens at one end through the Working face 'of the die body and communicating therewith is a hole'36 which opens through hat face of the die body opposite said'working ace.

Both the facing sheet 29l and-its backing sheet 32 are provided with holes therein each of the same diameter as and arranged to register with the associated recess 35.

Disposed upon each portion of the facing screen that covers a portion 21 of the die body is a Said body is frustro-pyramidally shaped foraminous member 31 madeof the same mesh'screen as that of' the facing sheet. This member which forms the projections I1 in the finished molded pulp article, in itself does not possess sufficient strength to resist the collapsing effect of the suction pressure used in the pulp molding machine of which the die as a whole forms apart. Therefore each member 31 is internally supported as by a similarly shaped member 38 which best appears in perspective in Fig. 6. The external surface of this member is provided with water drainage grooves 39 and projecting from the hat base thereof is a boss 40 that fits in the associated recess 35 in the die body.

It is pointed out that the sides and ends of the member 31 before it is assembled with an associated supporting member 38, are somewhat longer axially than the sides or ends of the member 38 so that marginal base portions 31a of the members 31 project or extend beyond the base of the supporting member. These projecting marginal base portions 31a. are then turned or bent in under marginal base portions of the member 38, as best appears in Figs. 3 and 4.

After the parts 31--38 have been thus far assembled, the assembly is thus disposed or engaged upon the die body with the boss 40 of the member 38 extending into an associated `recess 35.

A screw 4| is then inserted through a hole 36` from that face of the die body opposite its working face 24 and this screw is threaded into the member 38 through its boss 40. When this screw is drawn up tight, it pulls the assembly constituted by the members 31--38 toward the body, thus clamping the inturned margin 31a of each member 31 between the base of the backing member 38 and that part of the facing sheet covered thereby, Thus the inturned margin of each member 31 is securely clamped in place without leaving any rough edges to produce fins in the finished article.

It is pointed out at this time that the sides and ends of each member 31 are so disposed with respect to adjacent parts of the depressed portions 3l of the face sheet as to blend or merge into each other so that one forms a continuation of the other.

In Fig. 5 there is illustrated a modified way of attaching the assembled parts 31-38 in place. In said ligure the body of the die is provided in the area 21 on its working face 24 with a boss 35a and centrally of which is a hole 35a. 'I'he member 31 remains the same as before but its internal support which is indicated at 38a: is provided in its base with a recess 38g' that fits the `boss 35. In the top of said member 38a: is fixed an internally threaded shouldered bushing 382: into which a screw 41m extends as best appears inV Fig. 5. When this screw is turned up tight, it acts to pull the member 38:1: toward the body in the same way as inthe structure shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

` It is pointed out that by means of the construction described there has been provided a molding die for pulp articles that includes foraminous projections made separate from but so attached to the facing sheet of the die as to function as an integral part thereof. Thus it is not necessary to distort those areas of the facing sheet that can least stand the same.

Should any one of the foraminous members 31 become ragged from wear and show wire ends that would interfere with a free stripping or take `off or transfer of thearticles from the. die,` the lthe parts involved therein, and the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish tobe limited thereto except as may `be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a die for forming molded pulp articles. a die body having water passages therethrough and aworking face, a plurality of cavities in said body inwardly of the plane of said face and separated from each other by portions of said face, foraminous sheet means upon said vworking face and conforming to the contour of said cavities and conforming at least in part to said portions of said working face between said cavities, and a plurality of foraminous members separate from saidforaminous sheet means and from each other and disposed in spaced relation upon and attached to associated portions of said face and extending outwardly of the plane of said face.

2. In a die for forming molded pulp articles, a die body having water passages therethrough and a working face, a -plurality of cavities in said body inwardly of the plane of said face and separated from each other by portions of said face, foraminous sheet means upon said working face and conforming to the contour of said cavities and conforming' at least in part to said portions of said working face between said cavities, a plurality of fora-minous members separate from said foraminous sheet means and from each other and disposed in spaced relation upon associated portions vof said face and extending outwardly of the plane of said face, and means affording drainage as Well as internal support and attachment for each member relative to said. die body.

3. In a die for forming pulp articles, a die body having water passages therethroughV and a Working face. a plurality of cavities in said body inwardly of the plane of said face and separated from each other by portions of said face, foraminous sheet means upon said working face and conforming to the `contour of said cavities and conforming, at least in part, to said portions of said working face between said cavities, a plurality of foraminous members separate from said foraminous sheet means and from each other and disposed in spaced relation upon associated portions of said face and extending outwardly of the plane of said face, and means affording internal support and drainage for each member and including parts operable from .that face of the die body opposite said working face for detachably securing said means to the die body.

4. In a die for forming molded pulp articles, a die body having water passages therethrough and a working face, a plurality of cavities in said body inwardly of the plane of saidface and separated from each other by portions of said face, foraminous sheet means upon said working face and conforming to the contour of said cavities and conforming, at least in part, to said portions of said working face between said cavities. a plurality of foraminous members REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Ball Oct. 17, 1876 Gill Nov. 23, 1915 Koppleman Mar. 17, 1931 Farnham May 25, 1937 Schul' May 23, 1939 Shepard Mar. 12, 194D Chaplin et al Sept. 26, 1944 Chaplin Nov. 13, 1945 

